Chain



June 15 1926. 1,589,275

F. W. WATTS CHAIN Filed May 14. 1923 7 my F1611. m I;

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gwue'nto'o Patented June 15, 1926. I UNITED -STATES PATENT GFFKE.

. FRANK W. WATTS, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHAIN.

Application filed May 14, 1923. Serial No. 639,006.

. My invention relates to improvements in pivotally connecting adjacentlinks together 3 chains, particularly sprocket chains having and saidpivot member is provided upon the detachable links which permitinserting or ends with elongated heads 10. removing links forlengthening or shortening The side members 5 and 6 each have elonr 5 thechain. a gated slots 12 and 13 formed therein to re- The object of thepresent invention is to ceive the cylindrical portions 9 of the pivotform each link of the chain with a pair members 3 and through whichslots the heads of side members which latter are similar to 10 of thepivot members may freely pass each other and interchangeable; a furtherWhen turned into longitudinal alignment 1 object of my invention is toprovide a pivot with said slots. Each side member 5 and 6 member adaptedfor connecting the links has an offset portion 15 so that one end of theand, for spacing the side members, forming link will fit inside, and theopposite end will the links,a uniform distance apart; a still fitoutside of the next adjacent links and further object of my invention isto provide the corresponding ends of the several side 15 interlockingmeans upon the side members members will be in alignment and properlyand the pivot members by which the parts fit upon a sprocket wheel. maybe readily separated; a still further ob- The side members 5 and 6 areprovided at jectof my invention is to construct each side one end withlugs 17 for holding the heads member with an off-set portion whereby the10 of the pivot members crosswise of the 20 narrow ends of one pair ofside members will slots 13 in the side members and the opposite fitinside the broadened ends of the pair oi end of each side member isprovided with a side members forming the adjacent link in boss 18, equalin thickness to the height of the chain, and a still further object ofmy the lugs 17, so that when the links are exinvention is to locate thesaid oi'i-set portion tended the heads 10 of the pivot members 25 of theside members closer to one end of the are locked and cannot turn in theends of the link than to the other end, thus providing a side membershaving the lugs 17 thereon, long straight central portion in each sidewhich engage said heads. The pivot memmember throughout the narrowedportion of her 3 is the proper length between the heads the link,whereby the side members will fit 10 to prevent the pivot members having30 closely against the sides of the teeth of a any lateral movement inthe links, when the sprocket wheel and insure the chain running latterare extended and separated by the freely upon said wheel, and theoff-set porbosses 18. tion will also limit the distance the links canThe links may be readily detached by turn move towards each other whenthe chain is ing them upon the pivot members 3 into dif- 9 slack and thelinks are in the same plane. ferent planes, as shown in Fig. 3, whichper- Referring to the accompanying drawing; mits the pivot members 3 and3 to slide in Fig. 1, is a plan View of my improved chain; the slots 12of the side members 6 and 6, Fig. 2, is a side view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3,is as shown in Fig. 3, until the oft-set ends of a side view of thechain showing the links the side members 6 and 6 are free from the 4turned upon thepivot members into diii'erbosses 18 on the narrowed endsof the mement planes for detaching the links; Fig. 4, bers 6 and 6. Thepair of side members 5 isa horizontal section on line 4.4: Fig. 3; and6, Fig. 1, can now be drawn together I and Fig. 5, is a vertical sectionon line 5-5 sufficiently to free the heads of the pivot Fig. 3. member 3from the lugs 17, which permits 45 In the accompanying drawing, in whichthe heads to be turned so as to pass through like reference charactersrefer to like parts, the slot 13 formed in the side members and 1represents the chain formed of links 2, thus free the side member 6 fromthe pivot connected by the pivot members 3. Each member 3 The oppositeside member 5 link is formed of a pair of side members 5 of the link maybe removed from the other and 6. The side members 5 and 6 are sepend ofthe pivot member 3 and by repeating arable from each other and from thepivot this operation the other ends of the side members 3. members maybe removed from the next The pivot member 3 carries a spacing pivotmember. The ofi'-set portion 15 of the member 8 for holding the sidemembers a side members is located closer to one end of uniform distanceapart. Said pivot member the said member than to the other end. 3 alsohas cylindrical bearing portions 9 for Said portion 15 acts as a stop tolimit the distance the pivot member can slide in the slot 12, unless theadjacent side members are positioned at different angles. The longerportion of the side member permits the slot 12 to extend the necessarylength for the pivot member to move therein and free 7 the adjacentsidemember from the boss 18 and said longer portion also forms a link withside members which fit closely to the sides of the teeth of a sprocketwheel for guiding the chain upon the latter.

Having thus'described my invention I claim and'desire to secure byLetters Patcut:

1. A chain comprising similar separable side members arranged in pairsforming links every complete link oi. which is the same, pivot membersconnecting adjacent endsot the pairs of side members spacing means forthe side members carried by the pivot members, bosses upon the ends ofthe side members to prevent lateral movement of the pivot member,interlocking means for engaging the pivot member located upon theopposite ends of the side memb-ersiirom the said bosses and operativewhile said endsare in contact with the bosses oi the side members ofadjacent links to prevent disengagen'ieut with the pivot member, saidside members having longitudinal slots formed therein to permit themovement of the pivot member into a position free of the said bosseswhereby the pivot member may be released from the said interlockingmeans and the side members detached from the pivot member.

2. A chain comprising similar separable side members arranged in pairsforming links, each side member having an Oli -set portion Within. itslength whereby a pair of side members forming a link will have anarrowed end and the opposite end will be broadened adapting the latterend of a link to embrace the narrowed end oi a successive link to formthe chain, pivot members for connecting successive links, said pivotmember having means for holding theside members in spaced relation toeach other, bosses upon the ends of the side member to prevent lateralmovement of the pivot member, said side members having longitudinalformed therein through which the pivot members may move throughout aportion of the length of a link, said side members having the saidoli-set portion positioned closer to one end of the side member than tothe other end thus tormin a stop to limit the distance the pivot membermay slide in the said slot formed in one end of the side slots slots inthe side members and connect suc cessive side members together, anenlarged substantially round central part-upon thez pivot member adaptedto hold thev separable side members in spaced :relation 'to each other,elon 'ated heads upon the ends of the pivot members, a lug upon oneend-of a side member for engaging said head and holding it crosswise ofsaid slot formed in the side me iber, and a. boss upon the end .ofanother side member adapted to hold the saidlug of the adjarent sidemember in engagement with the head of the pivot membe A chain comprisinglinks, similar sepible side members arranged in pairs )liilllll' saidlinks, said side members having longitudinal slots formed in the endslei-sol, pivot members having portions at her end thereof adapted tooccupy said lots in the side members and connect suc- AJ cessive sidemembers together, an enlarged central part annular in cross section uponthe pivot member adapted to hold the separable side members in spacedrelation to each other, elongated heads upon the other ends of thepivotmembers, and means upon the side members operative in the normalposition of the links for holding said head crosswise of the slotsformed in the side members.

5. A chain comprising separable similar side members arranged in pairsforming links every complete link of which is the same, pivot membersconnecting adjacent ends of the pairs of side members spacing means forthe side members carried by the pivot members, bosses upon the ends ofthe side members to prevent lateral movement of the pivot member, lugs uon the op site ends of the side members f i'om said Egsses for engagingthe pivot member, said side members having longitudinal slots formedtherein to permit movement of the pivot member into a position free ofthe/bosses, whereby the pivot member may be released from said lugs, andthe side members detached from the pivot member. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK W. VATTS.

